Sorrento Networks and Japan's Marubeni Network
Systems Form Strategic Partnership
Marubeni Network Systems will Serve as Official Reseller of Sorrento
Networks' Metro/Regional Optical Networking Products in Japan
SAN DIEGO & TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 31, 2002-- Sorrento Networks, a leading
supplier of end-to-end, intelligent optical networking solutions for metro and regional applications
(NasdaqNM:FIBR), and Marubeni Network Systems, one of Japan's leading network and
systems integrators, today announced an agreement establishing Marubeni Network Systems
(MNET) as an official reseller of Sorrento Networks' optical networking products in Japan.
``We consider the Asia-Pacific sector and particularly the Japanese market extremely important
for Sorrento Networks,'' said Dr. Xin Cheng, CEO of Sorrento Networks. Cheng added, ``Our
relationship with MNET is part of our strategy for future growth in the Asia-Pacific market.
MNET is already an established networking system integrator and reseller in Japan. MNET is
uniquely positioned to address this market through established strategic relationships. We look
forward to a successful partner relationship with MNET.''
MNET President Mr. Masahiro Asano stated: ``The Japanese market for optical networking
systems is about one third of the Asia Pacific market and continues to grow. By combining
Sorrento Networks' flexible optical networking solutions with our market presence through our
network construction projects as well as the recent partnership with Toyo Communication
Equipment Co., Ltd. for service and support, we will be able to address that growing market
effectively.''
MNET's experience includes design, construction and management of telecom networks
ranging from local rings to long haul networks. MNET plans to leverage its strategic
relationships within the Marubeni customer base and portfolio to become the lead reseller of
Sorrento Networks and to address the needs of this growing market. Marubeni is one of
Japan's top trading houses and has successfully managed a number of telecommunications
projects internationally.
The products comprising Sorrento Networks' optical networking solution include: the
GigaMux(TM) dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) and optical add/drop
multiplexing (OADM) platform for Metro and Regional optical transport applications, EPC
sub-rate multiplexers for traffic aggregation, the TeraManager(TM) and GigaView network
management platforms for carrier and enterprise networks, respectively, as well as the
JumpStart(TM) 400, coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) for entry level access applications.
Sorrento Networks' optical transport portfolio allows carriers and service providers to meet all their high bandwidth optical
networking needs from the enterprise location through the metro-core and regional networks.
Sorrento Networks' GigaMux is a flexible DWDM platform that can cost-effectively be used in both metro and regional
applications. Its ``pay-as-you-grow'' architecture scales efficiently, without service interruption from four to 64 wavelengths per
fiber -- each wavelength supporting up 10 Gbps, to an ultimate capacity of 1.28 Tbps on a fiber pair. Sorrento Networks' sub-rate
multiplexing products are used to aggregate ESCON, FastEthernet, Gigabit Ethernet, and SONET/SDH channels into wavelengths
-- optimizing the use of wavelength capacity. Sorrento Networks' TeraManager and GigaView management platforms enable
network providers to significantly decrease operational costs associated with service provisioning and network administration.
Sorrento Networks' JumpStart 400 enables network operators to meet the requirements of entry-level customers deploying a
smaller number of Fibre Channel, FICON, Gigabit Ethernet, ESCON, or SONET/SDH services in the access network.
About Marubeni Network Systems
MNET was established in 1997 and is a subsidiary of Marubeni Corp. and NCR-Japan. Marubeni Corp. is an 81% shareholder
and NCR-Japan owns 19%. With the strong background and support of Marubeni, the company has accumulated considerable
project management experience and expertise in overseas and domestic projects. No single company can match the influential
links that MNET has established with the telecommunications industry, relationships cemented by more than four decades in the
industry. This 40-year experience gives MNET unique access to firms, stations, cable connections, and the entire array of linkages
that make the telecommunications industry.
Further information on MNET can be found at www.marubeni-net.com.
About Sorrento Networks
Sorrento Networks, with headquarters in San Diego, is a leading supplier of end-to-end, intelligent optical networking solutions for
metro and regional applications worldwide. Sorrento Networks' products support a wide range of protocols and network traffic
over linear, ring and mesh topologies. Sorrento Networks' existing customer base and market focus includes carriers in the
telecommunications, cable TV, fixed wireless and utilities markets. The storage area network (SAN) market is addressed through
alliances with SAN system integrators.
Recent news releases and additional information about Sorrento Networks can be found at www.sorrentonet.com.
Forward-looking Statements
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this release are forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties. Words such as ``plans,'' ``expects,'' ``intends,'' and variations of such words and similar expressions are
intended to identify such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe
harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The occurrence of actual events may differ materially
due to a variety of factors, including without limitation the following: (1) unanticipated technical problems relating to the company's
products; (2) the company's ability, or lack thereof, to make, market and sell optical networking products that meet with market
approval and acceptance; (3) the greater financial, technical and other resources of the company's many, larger competitors in the
marketplace for optical networking products; (4) changed market conditions in the Asian sector, new business opportunities or
other factors that might affect the company's decisions as to the best interests of its shareholders; (5) other risks detailed from
time to time in the company's parent corporation's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact:
Sorrento Networks Corp., San Diego
Demetri Elias, 858/450-4938
delias@sorrentonet.com
or
Marubeni Network Systems Corp.
Mitsuru Ohki, +81-3-3515-3544
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